Author and columnist Shobhaa De has sparked a new debate with his latest column, where he criticized Bollywood’s response to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests and questioned whether celebrities still understand the mood of India’s Gen Z audience.In his piece published on ThePrint, De specifically addressed it salman khanmessage on the activist’s social networks Sonam Wangchukwhile pointing to comments made by Kangana Ranaut, Hema Malini i Anupam Kher during the youth-led movement. He argued that several Bollywood personalities seemed out of touch with the concerns and language of a generation that has found its own way of expressing dissent.
Shobhaa De on Salman Khan’s Sonam Wangchuk post
Salman Khan was among the Bollywood celebrities who spoke about the CJP’s protests over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. After voicing his support for the students demanding accountability, the actor later appealed to Sonam Wangchuk to end her hunger strike after assurances from the government.Sharing a message for Wangchuk, Salman wrote, “Sonam, it’s done bro. Don’t extend this. Keep the spirit another day if there’s a need, which I doubt, and eat something. If you want, I’ll send you food from home. Students, please go back to your homes and your parents. PM has said that whoever did wrong will be punished…”Reacting to the post, Shobhaa De said the gesture failed to connect with Gen Z.“Ditto with Salman Khan. Calling Sonam Wangchuk ‘Bro’ and offering her a home-cooked meal from Khan’s kitchen to break her fast drew widespread derision, not praise,” he wrote.She added, “Maybe Salman thought he was being ‘cool’, but Gen Z rewrote the definition of ‘cool’. And this chilling message was anything but.”
“Bollywood has never looked so cool”: Shobhaa De
He further criticized Bollywood’s overall response to the protests, stating that many stars seemed out of touch with the younger generation.“Bollywood has never seemed so ‘uncool’. That’s irrelevant,” he wrote.He alleged that some celebrities entered the conversation only after gauging the reaction of the wider public, describing their posts as “scripted by ChatGPT”. De also wrote that the same stars who rely on young audiences for their films struggled to understand the generation they were targeting.“The very stars whose fortunes depend on the Indian youth were suddenly awakened, but met with derision,” he wrote.
De reacts to Kangana Ranaut’s comments on protesters
Kangana Ranaut also faced criticism from De for her remarks about the CJP protesters. The actor-politician had shared several Instagram stories criticizing the demonstrations and questioning the behavior of some participants.Kangana described some protest videos as “vomit-inducing” and accused the protesters of showing what she called “ugliness” and “filth”. She later referred to a section of young women as “Generation Gutter” while commenting on their choices and lifestyle.Responding to Kangana’s comments, De wrote, “While Kangana Ranaut, just this side of ‘aunty’ status, lost the few Gen Z fans she still possessed with her tasteless comments.”
Hema Malini and Anupam Kher also mentioned
Apart from Salman and Kangana, De also referred to veteran actors Hema Malini and Anupam Kher while talking about Bollywood’s response to the movement.He suggested that the reactions of older celebrities reflected a wider generation gap between established public figures and young protesters.
“Celebrities need Gen Z more than Gen Z needs them”
Summarizing his views, De said Bollywood stars should recognize the changing relationship between celebrities and the young audience.“The thing to understand is this: Gen Z doesn’t need celebrity endorsements or heroes. It’s the other way around. Celebrities need Gen Z,” he wrote.He added that Gen Z has created its own style of activism, one that combines protest with humor, creativity and social media storytelling.The CJP protests, which began over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak, later expanded into a broader movement around education reforms and accountability. The agitation included marches, sit-ins and Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike, making it one of the most discussed youth movements in recent times.